Man arrested on charge of molesting woman, 91, in assisted living facility

Published: Tuesday, November 12, 2013 at 2:25 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, November 12, 2013 at 2:25 p.m.

OCALA – A 63-year-old Ocala man allegedly caught with his hand on the private area of a 91-year-old woman at an assisted living facility was charged early Tuesday morning with lewd or lascivious battery, molestation or exhibition with the elderly or disabled.

Charles W. Messina made his first appearance in front of a judge via video link from the Marion County Jail to the courthouse, just a few hours following his 1:30 a.m. arrest. His bail was set at $10,000.

The Marion County Sheriff's Office received a report late Monday night from the staff at Emeritus at Ocala West, at 9070 SW 80th Ave., stating that Messina was visiting the 91-year-old woman when they heard her saying, “Stop, that hurts,” according to detective Mark Peavy's report.

The woman suffers from dementia and is in the memory care unit, MCSO officials said. They did not reveal the nature of the relationship between the woman and Messina.

A staff member at the facility told Peavy that Messina entered the building wearing a white T-shirt, black shorts and white tennis shoes, the same type of clothing he usually wears when he visits the woman, which is usually twice a week. She said Messina always appears when the reception desk is closed and that “he believes he doesn't have to sign in,” Peavy's report states.

The staffer said that when she and a co-worker heard the resident say, “Stop, that hurts,” they went to her door, which was locked. They used their keys to open the door. She said the lights were off and when they flipped them back on, Messina, who was standing on the right side of the bed, appeared startled. She said the woman's blanket was pulled down and Messina's hand was on the woman's genitals, according to the report.

The staffer said they asked Messina what he was doing and he said he was changing the woman's Depend [a type of undergarment], then pulled up the blanket. The employee said they found a pair of Depend undergarments at the foot of the bed, under the covers. She said it was not soiled, nor did they find any Depend garments in the trash, according to the report.

The victim asked one of the employees not to leave her in the room with Messina, and said she did not want him to visit her, the report states.

Messina told Peavy he was visiting the woman and was trying to change her Depend because it was soiled. He said he went to the bathroom and got a new one and was in the process of changing it when the employees walked into the room, the report notes.

Peavy asked about the light being off and Messina said the television was on and the light in the bathroom was on. He denied touching the woman inappropriately. He said it was not the first time he has had to change her undergarment and that the soiled Depend he removed was placed in a waste basket, the report states.

Just after his first appearance at the jail, Messina spoke briefly with a Star-Banner reporter. He said of the woman that he “never touched her” and “she's like a mother to me.” He declined to comment further comment as he was trying to call someone to post bail for him. He did say that after he was released he would have much more to say.

<p>OCALA – A 63-year-old Ocala man allegedly caught with his hand on the private area of a 91-year-old woman at an assisted living facility was charged early Tuesday morning with lewd or lascivious battery, molestation or exhibition with the elderly or disabled.</p><p>Charles W. Messina made his first appearance in front of a judge via video link from the Marion County Jail to the courthouse, just a few hours following his 1:30 a.m. arrest. His bail was set at $10,000.</p><p>The Marion County Sheriff's Office received a report late Monday night from the staff at Emeritus at Ocala West, at 9070 SW 80th Ave., stating that Messina was visiting the 91-year-old woman when they heard her saying, “Stop, that hurts,” according to detective Mark Peavy's report.</p><p>The woman suffers from dementia and is in the memory care unit, MCSO officials said. They did not reveal the nature of the relationship between the woman and Messina.</p><p>A staff member at the facility told Peavy that Messina entered the building wearing a white T-shirt, black shorts and white tennis shoes, the same type of clothing he usually wears when he visits the woman, which is usually twice a week. She said Messina always appears when the reception desk is closed and that “he believes he doesn't have to sign in,” Peavy's report states.</p><p>The staffer said that when she and a co-worker heard the resident say, “Stop, that hurts,” they went to her door, which was locked. They used their keys to open the door. She said the lights were off and when they flipped them back on, Messina, who was standing on the right side of the bed, appeared startled. She said the woman's blanket was pulled down and Messina's hand was on the woman's genitals, according to the report.</p><p>The staffer said they asked Messina what he was doing and he said he was changing the woman's Depend [a type of undergarment], then pulled up the blanket. The employee said they found a pair of Depend undergarments at the foot of the bed, under the covers. She said it was not soiled, nor did they find any Depend garments in the trash, according to the report.</p><p>The victim asked one of the employees not to leave her in the room with Messina, and said she did not want him to visit her, the report states.</p><p>Messina told Peavy he was visiting the woman and was trying to change her Depend because it was soiled. He said he went to the bathroom and got a new one and was in the process of changing it when the employees walked into the room, the report notes.</p><p>Peavy asked about the light being off and Messina said the television was on and the light in the bathroom was on. He denied touching the woman inappropriately. He said it was not the first time he has had to change her undergarment and that the soiled Depend he removed was placed in a waste basket, the report states.</p><p>Just after his first appearance at the jail, Messina spoke briefly with a Star-Banner reporter. He said of the woman that he “never touched her” and “she's like a mother to me.” He declined to comment further comment as he was trying to call someone to post bail for him. He did say that after he was released he would have much more to say.</p><p><i>Contact Austin L. Miller at 867-4118 or austin.miller@starbanner.com.</i></p>